We are working to improve learning by using technology that gives teachers immediate feedback about what's happening in their classrooms. Using sensors to measure student participation and engagement, we can help the instructor notice when it might be time to change tactics.

At present, we are working with the 2nd Generation Kinect for Windows. So far we are using the audio capabilities (i.e., beamforming) of the Kinect, but we would like to start using video and depth cameras as well. We're open to other kinds of sensors, too.

The research involves:

• Studying the system we already have, updating where necessary, and improving detection
• Testing the system in different room environments with different levels of noise
• Reporting findings back to the research team

If the opportunities arise and if you're interested, the research might involve:

• Traveling to other schools and installing/testing the system
• Helping to write manuscript submissions about the research

The job requires:

• Familiarity with C#, and comfort with web dev languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
• Interest in educational technology and research
• Implicit drive to contribute

If you want to help us build a new technology and make classes better, please contact David Gerritsen (dgerrits at cs dot cmu dot edu) and describe what interests you about the project!

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Posted June 9, 2016